I can't tell you enough how much i appreciate this channel. Super informative, funny skits, secret tips you dont find easily online. Keep on rockin man mush love
Thank you for putting the time in to show and teach us all of this! Always very informative! And ive grown lots of true blue genetics and they are all awesome cultures!
on my way to a large orange hardware store chain so I can beg them to keep bear mountain alder pellets in stock. if not, im gonna have to spend a big ole chunk of change on a container's worth of bags since there are no other options on this tiny tropical island. wish me luck! 😅
Hey Paul! It's really time for some more videos! You already announced so much great topics, that i'm really addicted to your channel. I've watched all of your videos, most of them multiple time because they are so information dense and now i'm on withdrawal. Regards from Germany
Thank you so much for your amazing videos, they are such a bountiful source of information and inspiration. I'm so happy to be able to support your journey by purchasing a flow hood from you. You give so much of yourself to assist others and I admire all you do for the community. You make these tools for mycology and the resources for using them accessible to all who seek them out. I can't wait to see what's to come next! mush love 🍄❤️
The last 2 video have been impressive. Lots of detail. I appreciate patience and time this must have took. Your work is astonishing. The best part of all is you don’t with a sense of humor. Thanks
so glad to see this channel active again, it's easily been the most valuable resource for me as i started my journey into mycology this year. your videos are so informative, entertaining, and rewatchable. i'm very excited to hear what other sage wisdom you've been cooking up for us
Paul, I love your videos and your passion for this craft really shows. You've inspired me to move forward with my own journey into the fungal cultivation world to enjoy alongside my foraging expeditions.
Just started this hobby of growing mushrooms myself, currently growing oysters, lions mane and cordyceps, after collecting mushrooms in the woods for years. Your videos are very helpful, I learn a lot 🙏 And you're definitely the most entertaining out there! 😁👌 Greetings from Germany 👋 Just subscribed
I love how in depth you guys are, can you please do a video on mycelium growth on agar, what to look out for, what agar to look for and select, and compare them? I'm having such a hard time sourcing all these things in one place and that would be amazing!
Grazie per questo fantastico ed utilissimo video. Ovviamente mi sono immediatamente iscritto al tuo canale ed ho attivato tutte le notifiche. Grazie di cuore. Ottimi anche i sottotitoli in italiano. Fantastico e bravissimo.
Your intelligent silliness is why I subscribed... Also, my love for poop! Alfalfa fed horse, mini-horse or donkey is the magical secret! I have never cut it with coir.
@_fungaia I appreciate you breaking it down to nitrogen and carbon terms. It all makes perfect sense now after you brought up the ratios for different species. The supplementation aspects are the types of things that are probably a trade secret. That's the beauty of this community, IMO. It's not totally made up of gatekeepers, and many just want more people to have the know-how
So excited for this!! I ordered some of Fungaia's wood lovers substrate a few weeks ago and it is pretty much fully colonized with a well known Oregon variety.....you know the one I mean ;-)
I wanna start a business related to mushroom growing here in Argentina We leave a lot of plant material and dung just laying around and your videos are really digging into my head the concepts I need to start, thank you for the info !
I love how so much of the video is talking about sterilization and a clean environment, and then I look at his shirt! lol GREAT VIDEO VERY HELPFUL THANK YOU!!!!
Thanks for the informative and entertaining video!! Good point on the masters mix. I'm sure I got enough pesticides from cheap veggies in my college days.
Growers finally have the science to back our process!!! Thank you for the time and research you’re doing for the grow community. Question on adding Bran to the bulk substrate. With 650g coir & 350g verm for a 100% ratio, do you suggest adjusting the Coir/Verm weight for the 10% Bran? Example: 650g coir, 250g verm, 100g bran. I’ve also seen the bran added directly to the grains after boiling before going to the PC. What is recommended for adding bran to this recipe? Thanks in advance
Honestly that level of precision in calculating ratios is unnecessary, just adding the bran to your existing recipe will work. However, the high-nitrogen bran will require you to maintain a careful sterile process, so depending on your methods it may not be worth the trouble. As for adding bran to grain, I wouldn't recommend it. Grain already has a higher level of nitrogen and other nutrition than bran (which is a byproduct of grain refining), so it isn't adding anything, and the mushiness of cooked bran is only going to cause trouble for the mycelium. If you want to bump up the nutrition, would say it's better to just increase the grain.
I watched this again and now see the part where you say, you can use Horse poop, I guess I had a "Look there's a squirrel" moment when watching earlier and missed it. Thanks again farr the info-ooh, arrr.
@26:19 while I havent grown oyster on anything else than hard wood fuel pellets, I have successfully been able to grow species of two different genuses on pine woodchips that have been soaked for about five weeks, replacing the water every week, and finally sterilized.
I’m pretty new to mycology, but I’ll share the super easy tek I use for wood loving mushrooms: Wheat straw Hydrated lime Pillow case 5g bucket with lid Fill a pillow case with wheat straw, put into a 5g bucket, add 1/4 cup of hydrated lime, fill the bucket with hose water, stir, cover the bucket and wait 20 hours, shake it around a few times throughout. Pull the pillow case of straw out of the bucket and let it drip dry for a while, like an hour or two. Once the moisture content is correct (you squeeze it and only a few drops come out) then your substrate is ready. Super easy and cheap to make. I’ll have to try using wood chips next to see how the results differ, I’ve heard they taste better when grown on wood rather than straw. Love your channel ❤❤❤
Man, your videos are GOLDEN! Thank you so much!! I do have a question about the pasteurization part…. Is that only recommended for CVG + poop? If going for CVG only, would adding the ingredients into a bucket and pouring hot water suffice? I didn’t quite catch that in the video :) I have ordered a presto canner though…. So I guess I could pasteurize it in there, correct? Low pressure/high pressure? What would you recommend? Or is it not necessary, since when the grains are fully colonized by the mycelium it will be strong enough to prevent much more contamination? Can’t wait for your next video!!!!! Mush love!
I don't recommend just hot water pasteurization for CVG. I talk about it here: th-cam.com/video/3AB-mVRXNUc/w-d-xo.htmlsi=tZE4MK4rX3wNZi3P&t=3100 It's best not to use the Presto canner for pasteurizing. You can make it work, but just a plain old soup pot is simpler and safer. If you're building pressure, you're too hot. Pasteurization is best at ~190F.
Hi thanks for t he very informative video. I'll need to watch it a couple of times. I have a question. I put a wine cap LC to sterilized oak chip and 10%bran. The myc grew a halo earring the bran and leaving the oak chip behind... trying to work out why?
POOP! Edit: best video yet. I've learned so much, with many laughs while doing so! Thank you!! Double edit: would you consider the 'plaster of paris' gypsum okay, or should it be food grade only?
Yes, depending on the source and the type of mushrooms you're growing, any compost can work, as long as you are attentive to the C:N ratio and the pH. Again, quality over quantity. The microbial ecosystem will differ from batch to batch, so the results will also. Many large-scale compost producers use questionable non-organic inputs, like grass clippings.
Could you help me with the cvg instant pot pasteurization section at 53:29? You show putting the cvg loosely into the instant pot and using the keep warm setting overnight. Top closed. Is the valve open or closed? Does that work? That’d be a very helpful technique for me. Thanks for all you do and can’t wait for more.
Yep, top closed, valve closed. It won't build any pressure at that low temp (since the water isn't boiling to create steam) and leaving the valve open would allow it to dry out way too much over 24 hours.
After fermentation of the bulk substrate for the dunk lovers , how can I pasteurize it again ? Put it on plastic bags and bake it on the oven for the time you advised and the temperature you advised? What about the water inside maybe in the oven it will evaporate too much? What are your thoughts?Thank you ! You are the best
I haven't had great luck with ovens. In bags, moisture loss shouldn't be an issue, but the radiant heat just doesn't seem to work the same magic as steam. Maybe the thermostat in normal ovens isn't accurate at low temps, I don't know. I recommend sticking with the crock pot / instant pot / soup pot method I recommend in the video. I talk about pasteurization here: th-cam.com/video/3AB-mVRXNUc/w-d-xo.htmlsi=EhLYWadLJss7Kppe&t=3203
Been experimenting with mushroom growing(oysters really) for about a year(indoors), a lot of failure due to a persistent green mold infestation as sterilizing everything simply isn't an option for me. But there have been occasional successes among countless failed blocks. But admittedly growing indoors has been a struggle, and one issue has been - small fruiting bodies and clusters even for regular grey oysters. Each cluster has barely 3 or so shrooms and mature at the size of a large fist at best. Pink oysters also produce weak fruiting bodies, occasionally a single mushroom. Everything is grown on aspen wood(from briquettes, has a texture of coarse sawdust, fine bits), CO2 below 500, moisture at a constant 80-90%, temp 21 degrees celsius(around 70 fahrenheit), modified fan sucking air from an open window gap. Like, at this point i don't even know what's causing this. Every causal grower i see on youtube gets large, healthy, colorful clusters...while all i get are a few feeble shrooms, despite putting in immense work to create good conditions. The only thing i'm lacking is a proper light source, it being winter with short days, a window offers little to nothing. Tried growing lights and they seem to have no effect, at least the purple ones normally used for plants.
45:14 Clarification: do you mean you add the grain and substrate at the same time (unmixed, with grain on the bottom) and then sterilise, and then inoculate with LC, and then do a final break and shake after the grain layer is colonised? Thank you!
More or less... if you have a flow hood, I recommend sterilizing the grain and sawdust separately and combining them afterward. If not, then cooking them together works. But I much prefer the grain on top, otherwise it gets mushed. Then, yes, inoculate, shake to distribute through the grain and incubate until the grain is mostly enveloped in mycelium before doing a full break-and-shake!
@@_fungaia I see, I had misunderstood. It looked like you were adding grain spawn in the video but it is in fact just sterile grain. Resuming, your method just avoids contam from the outside of the grain spawn jar from contacting with the newly sterilised substrate. Thank you for your reply! I'm extremely grateful for the knowledge you're sharing.
I'm in the process of making my own video demonstrating how I make my seed spawn and substrate. (Surprise surprise, it's almost exactly the same as your method. I wonder why? 🤔) 😂. I also use the sawdust from my instrument building and general woodwork to grow amazing oysters.
Blacksmith with a newly budding interest in mycology and mushroom growing here, and I have a question: if fungi have a preference for carbon rich environments, well... have you considered mixing charcoal dust into your substrate? NOT the briquettes obviously, but homemade lump charcoal. That stuff is essentially the purest form of carbon available to the common person, and can be made at home via a campfire and a metal barrel full of wood. It should be fairly sterile too given the process of making it. Anything I'm not thinking of?
Yes, charcoal and biochar are great substrate amendments! I remember reading a study somewhere that showed that 10% biochar by mass increased mushroom yields. I am particularly fond of using pure hardwood charcoal in my agar media.
It really depends... a (very) rough benchmark is about 50% water to 50% raw material. I've heard 52% final moisture content is ideal (including the moisture already present in the ingredients). But I've never bothered to measure it exactly, most of these numbers were just made up by some guy on the internet anyway.
Yep, right up there with organic soy hulls, but a little higher in nitrogen (about 25:1). 40% alfalfa to 60% sawdust would be a good starting proportion.
the recipies are good but I got a little confused since I'm working with grain spawn. So the grain has a low C:N ratio and because of that I supose we have to add an equal amount of bulk or more to get a final mass around C:N 60:1 right? So if I have coco coir with 100:1 ratio, adding the same amount of grain spawn (already colonized) would get us a mass with ratio around 60:1. But in the amateur community it's common for people to use something like 3 times more bulk than grain, hence achieving a much higher ratio. What comes?
Yes, once you start trying to calculate actual C:N ratios it can get very confusing, with weird and even contradictory results. For one thing, it's usually a measure based on dry weight, whereas most sub to grain ratios are based on wet weight. More than that, grain is really kind of its own thing. The unique structure of grain is what makes it so perfect for mushroom cultivation: the mycelium can digest the whole, intact grains slowly, whereas if we mashed them up it we would need to raise the C:N ratio as you described. Think of grains like nitrogen slow-release capsules. Really, I wouldn't sweat it. Fungi live to break rules. Anywhere from a 1:1 to a 4:1 sub to grain ratio is standard for CVG. You can even fruit off grain alone, especially with just a light casing layer, and I've gone as far as 10:1 and still had good fruits. 🤷♂️
Have you any advice regarding possible Cryptosporidium contamination in manure? Even if theres a low chance its a parasite i'd rather not contract. Fantastic video by the way you've earned me sub!
Pathogens like Cryptosporidium, Giardia and E. coli aren't a concern as long as you pasteurize adequately, though you're wise to be aware and clean your hands well before eating! Right on, thanks!
i’m going with 2-3 pounds. i’ve been doing 1kg of pellets hydrated with 600-650mL of water, but that wasn’t getting me to field capacity and mycelium was definitely cooking itself before complete colonization…
I'm in an area where wheat bran and soy hills aren't really available. Can you recommend an alternative source of Nitrogen in masters mix. I've heard good and bad things about using alfalfa pellets and rice bran.
@@_fungaiaThanks, but I suppose I was talking about a commercially available product. My mileage has varied wrt getting coffee grounds or spent brewery grains from local cafe's or breweries. I am currently working on building out my worm farm, so eventually, I will be able to use my castings. But in the mean time, I was more looking for a direct replacement for the traditional masters mix using soy hull pellets (or wheat bran).
bro you are saving my ass like days maybie weeks of research with this, bravo and thank you, you are really educated but then at 24:55 you were talking about shiitake mushrooms and put a picture of a chestnut mushroom in the background and then im like bro can i really trust anything this dude says hahahah ? JK you are the best thanks !
"You can trust me, I'm some guy on the internet." P.S. Those aren't morels either. Or chanterelles. Or porcini. Or truffles. I'm just here to mislead and confuse!
The mushroom community is beyond lucky to have our very own Bill Nye to keep education engaging and fun do. Thank you Prof Spartacus!
And I'm so lucky to have so much support, thank you!
Oh my God, Prof Spartacus is on a roll. Two weeks and two videos? Christmas has come early.
Was thinking the same thing! 😁
Love the support, thanks my friends!
As someone with a batchelors in Horticulture and not enough money for a masters in mycology, thank you. Leaving nothing out is so appreciated!!
I appreciate that! Sometimes the retention stats get me down, but the comments are what keep me writing 25-page scripts!
So glad this is one of the first guys I watched in starting my research phase
I can't tell you enough how much i appreciate this channel. Super informative, funny skits, secret tips you dont find easily online. Keep on rockin man mush love
Thank you!
Okay friends, I made it to the end, didnt skip a minute. Magic.
Yess this is invaluable infotainment !! We are forever grateful for your Myco service in the name of mushrooms.
It is my sacred doodie.
my cup runnith over, cant wait to see what amazing info i can put to practice.
Thank you for putting the time in to show and teach us all of this! Always very informative! And ive grown lots of true blue genetics and they are all awesome cultures!
Thanks for the kind words! And always glad to hear from another TBG fan 🤙
Paul Lynn ur a hero ♥️
I soo proud of you for mentioning the Problem with the master's mix.
Thank you for saying so. "The poison runs deep, but these roots run deeper."
I live for these long detailed videos! Another great video
Absolutely love these videos and Paul’s outlook! He’s such a valuable resource in shaping the Mycelium Monarchy that’s rising amongst us!!!
In the wise words of Van Morrison, "No guru, no method, no teacher.
Just you and I and nature." 🙏
@@_fungaia❤
30:39 i’m so glad i watched this before ordering a bunch of masters mix !!😮😅
Yes, me too! It isn't discussed often enough.
on my way to a large orange hardware store chain so I can beg them to keep bear mountain alder pellets in stock. if not, im gonna have to spend a big ole chunk of change on a container's worth of bags since there are no other options on this tiny tropical island. wish me luck! 😅
Thank you for these videos. You help with my confidence that I'm on the right path.
Hey Paul! It's really time for some more videos! You already announced so much great topics, that i'm really addicted to your channel. I've watched all of your videos, most of them multiple time because they are so information dense and now i'm on withdrawal. Regards from Germany
Thank you so much for your amazing videos, they are such a bountiful source of information and inspiration. I'm so happy to be able to support your journey by purchasing a flow hood from you. You give so much of yourself to assist others and I admire all you do for the community. You make these tools for mycology and the resources for using them accessible to all who seek them out. I can't wait to see what's to come next! mush love 🍄❤️
It is the best explanation about substrate I ever heard
The last 2 video have been impressive. Lots of detail. I appreciate patience and time this must have took. Your work is astonishing. The best part of all is you don’t with a sense of humor. Thanks
Thank you!
Thank you so much for the master class on mycology! Blessings to you, Paul!
so glad to see this channel active again, it's easily been the most valuable resource for me as i started my journey into mycology this year. your videos are so informative, entertaining, and rewatchable. i'm very excited to hear what other sage wisdom you've been cooking up for us
That's great to hear!
Fungaia is probably the best and most informative channel of its kind
🙏
Heartfelt gratitude for your generosity in sharing so much in-depth knowledge!
Received, thank you!
Paul, I love your videos and your passion for this craft really shows. You've inspired me to move forward with my own journey into the fungal cultivation world to enjoy alongside my foraging expeditions.
Right on! 🥳
Just started this hobby of growing mushrooms myself, currently growing oysters, lions mane and cordyceps, after collecting mushrooms in the woods for years. Your videos are very helpful, I learn a lot 🙏 And you're definitely the most entertaining out there! 😁👌
Greetings from Germany 👋
Just subscribed
Awesome, danke schön!
I really appreciate the time you put into making these videos. Thank you so much for everything you do! Have a great day!!🍄
Thank you! It's a labor of love.
My fav mushroom growing channel of all time. Thank you for all your work bro!
🌞
I love how in depth you guys are, can you please do a video on mycelium growth on agar, what to look out for, what agar to look for and select, and compare them? I'm having such a hard time sourcing all these things in one place and that would be amazing!
I saw the whole video from the andes of Ecuador. I'm just starting a small production. Thank you for sharing this information, amazing video!🙏🏽
Dude I just wanted to say I love your videos. Your love for life, and mushrooms, is awesome. Keep fighting the good fight!
Grazie per questo fantastico ed utilissimo video. Ovviamente mi sono immediatamente iscritto al tuo canale ed ho attivato tutte le notifiche. Grazie di cuore. Ottimi anche i sottotitoli in italiano. Fantastico e bravissimo.
Grazie, lo apprezzo molto! TH-cam fa la traduzione, sono così felice che tu possa capirlo!
Love the in dept videos!!!
Inspired and informed💙
This is high quality.
Guy is amazing best on mushroom cultivation best information hands down 😊.
Watched the whole thing, and will watch again. So much valuable information and very entertaining. Your videos keep me motivated!
Glad to hear it!
Your intelligent silliness is why I subscribed...
Also, my love for poop!
Alfalfa fed horse, mini-horse or donkey is the magical secret!
I have never cut it with coir.
Nice! Love that. And thanks 🥳
Thank you for the concise info. Best video like this by far, even only 10 minutes in. Raise that bar!
I appreciate that!
@_fungaia I appreciate you breaking it down to nitrogen and carbon terms.
It all makes perfect sense now after you brought up the ratios for different species. The supplementation aspects are the types of things that are probably a trade secret. That's the beauty of this community, IMO. It's not totally made up of gatekeepers, and many just want more people to have the know-how
So excited for this!! I ordered some of Fungaia's wood lovers substrate a few weeks ago and it is pretty much fully colonized with a well known Oregon variety.....you know the one I mean ;-)
Woohoo!
Great Video, I'm very excited to start cultivating mushrooms!
I love you brother! Thank You so much for Your content! Im learning from You a LOT!!! Live long and prosper!!!
🖖 may the spores be with you...
I wanna start a business related to mushroom growing here in Argentina
We leave a lot of plant material and dung just laying around and your videos are really digging into my head the concepts I need to start, thank you for the info !
4k views but only 350 likes....come on guys let's give some love and support
I love how so much of the video is talking about sterilization and a clean environment, and then I look at his shirt! lol GREAT VIDEO VERY HELPFUL THANK YOU!!!!
I know, I know. My lab coat is in the wash. 😅
Thanks for the informative and entertaining video!! Good point on the masters mix. I'm sure I got enough pesticides from cheap veggies in my college days.
Growers finally have the science to back our process!!! Thank you for the time and research you’re doing for the grow community. Question on adding Bran to the bulk substrate. With 650g coir & 350g verm for a 100% ratio, do you suggest adjusting the Coir/Verm weight for the 10% Bran? Example: 650g coir, 250g verm, 100g bran.
I’ve also seen the bran added directly to the grains after boiling before going to the PC. What is recommended for adding bran to this recipe? Thanks in advance
Honestly that level of precision in calculating ratios is unnecessary, just adding the bran to your existing recipe will work. However, the high-nitrogen bran will require you to maintain a careful sterile process, so depending on your methods it may not be worth the trouble.
As for adding bran to grain, I wouldn't recommend it. Grain already has a higher level of nitrogen and other nutrition than bran (which is a byproduct of grain refining), so it isn't adding anything, and the mushiness of cooked bran is only going to cause trouble for the mycelium. If you want to bump up the nutrition, would say it's better to just increase the grain.
I watched this again and now see the part where you say, you can use Horse poop, I guess I had a "Look there's a squirrel" moment when watching earlier and missed it. Thanks again farr the info-ooh, arrr.
@26:19 while I havent grown oyster on anything else than hard wood fuel pellets, I have successfully been able to grow species of two different genuses on pine woodchips that have been soaked for about five weeks, replacing the water every week, and finally sterilized.
I’m pretty new to mycology, but I’ll share the super easy tek I use for wood loving mushrooms:
Wheat straw
Hydrated lime
Pillow case
5g bucket with lid
Fill a pillow case with wheat straw, put into a 5g bucket, add 1/4 cup of hydrated lime, fill the bucket with hose water, stir, cover the bucket and wait 20 hours, shake it around a few times throughout.
Pull the pillow case of straw out of the bucket and let it drip dry for a while, like an hour or two. Once the moisture content is correct (you squeeze it and only a few drops come out) then your substrate is ready.
Super easy and cheap to make. I’ll have to try using wood chips next to see how the results differ, I’ve heard they taste better when grown on wood rather than straw.
Love your channel ❤❤❤
Nice, thanks for sharing! Some call this "cold-pasteurization," a super cool low-input method. Love the pillow case idea.
Excellent! You’ve clarified things that were previously murky, like the relationship between nitrogen and pathogens. Love your channel.
Sir, your "morel" photo at 25 in is a false morel: calf brain. I love the straight talk of information💪
I noticed that Gyromitra esculenta also. Other than that poisonous mistake the video was really good.
Man, your videos are GOLDEN! Thank you so much!!
I do have a question about the pasteurization part…. Is that only recommended for CVG + poop? If going for CVG only, would adding the ingredients into a bucket and pouring hot water suffice? I didn’t quite catch that in the video :)
I have ordered a presto canner though…. So I guess I could pasteurize it in there, correct? Low pressure/high pressure? What would you recommend? Or is it not necessary, since when the grains are fully colonized by the mycelium it will be strong enough to prevent much more contamination?
Can’t wait for your next video!!!!!
Mush love!
I don't recommend just hot water pasteurization for CVG. I talk about it here: th-cam.com/video/3AB-mVRXNUc/w-d-xo.htmlsi=tZE4MK4rX3wNZi3P&t=3100
It's best not to use the Presto canner for pasteurizing. You can make it work, but just a plain old soup pot is simpler and safer. If you're building pressure, you're too hot. Pasteurization is best at ~190F.
Hi thanks for t he very informative video. I'll need to watch it a couple of times. I have a question. I put a wine cap LC to sterilized oak chip and 10%bran. The myc grew a halo earring the bran and leaving the oak chip behind... trying to work out why?
Hi is this video taken at early 2000?
love the vibes of this video❤
Wow. That is impressive.
Another excellent video. Rest in peace Heehaw
POOP! Edit: best video yet. I've learned so much, with many laughs while doing so! Thank you!! Double edit: would you consider the 'plaster of paris' gypsum okay, or should it be food grade only?
So glad you enjoyed it!
It's probably fine, it's just a mineral. I'm always just wary of manufacturing contaminants and weird additives.
@@_fungaia Thank you.
Great video! How big are the bags you are using?
Unicorn XLS-B
Fungaia is baaaackkk!!!
love your videos, mushlove brother
Are defined media recipes available?
This is great! Can I use compost from a hardware store versus getting manure from a field?
Yes, depending on the source and the type of mushrooms you're growing, any compost can work, as long as you are attentive to the C:N ratio and the pH.
Again, quality over quantity. The microbial ecosystem will differ from batch to batch, so the results will also. Many large-scale compost producers use questionable non-organic inputs, like grass clippings.
@ Thank you!
Could you help me with the cvg instant pot pasteurization section at 53:29? You show putting the cvg loosely into the instant pot and using the keep warm setting overnight. Top closed. Is the valve open or closed? Does that work? That’d be a very helpful technique for me. Thanks for all you do and can’t wait for more.
Yep, top closed, valve closed. It won't build any pressure at that low temp (since the water isn't boiling to create steam) and leaving the valve open would allow it to dry out way too much over 24 hours.
Thank you! I’ll give it a try
My dude looks like he's listening to crass or dystopia but sounds like he's giving a lecture in college that didn't fall asleep to
Or disrupt
Crust or bust
Great video! How would I substitute coffee grounds in with a saw dust substrate? Is it the same ratio as the wheat bran?
Yes, I believe coffee and wheat bran have a similar C:N ratio around 20:1. I'd start at about 10% and work up. May also need some pH buffering.
After fermentation of the bulk substrate for the dunk lovers , how can I pasteurize it again ? Put it on plastic bags and bake it on the oven for the time you advised and the temperature you advised? What about the water inside maybe in the oven it will evaporate too much? What are your thoughts?Thank you ! You are the best
I haven't had great luck with ovens. In bags, moisture loss shouldn't be an issue, but the radiant heat just doesn't seem to work the same magic as steam. Maybe the thermostat in normal ovens isn't accurate at low temps, I don't know.
I recommend sticking with the crock pot / instant pot / soup pot method I recommend in the video. I talk about pasteurization here: th-cam.com/video/3AB-mVRXNUc/w-d-xo.htmlsi=EhLYWadLJss7Kppe&t=3203
One more question, what percentage weight of hydrated grain to substrate would you recommend? Thanks!
for the all-in-one sawdust bags i do about 1:5
Fun stuff. Most of these mushroom people have no sense of humor which is boring. Science does not have to be boring.
Will the CVG/Poo work for Bunnell and BVI?
Been experimenting with mushroom growing(oysters really) for about a year(indoors), a lot of failure due to a persistent green mold infestation as sterilizing everything simply isn't an option for me. But there have been occasional successes among countless failed blocks. But admittedly growing indoors has been a struggle, and one issue has been - small fruiting bodies and clusters even for regular grey oysters. Each cluster has barely 3 or so shrooms and mature at the size of a large fist at best. Pink oysters also produce weak fruiting bodies, occasionally a single mushroom. Everything is grown on aspen wood(from briquettes, has a texture of coarse sawdust, fine bits), CO2 below 500, moisture at a constant 80-90%, temp 21 degrees celsius(around 70 fahrenheit), modified fan sucking air from an open window gap.
Like, at this point i don't even know what's causing this. Every causal grower i see on youtube gets large, healthy, colorful clusters...while all i get are a few feeble shrooms, despite putting in immense work to create good conditions.
The only thing i'm lacking is a proper light source, it being winter with short days, a window offers little to nothing. Tried growing lights and they seem to have no effect, at least the purple ones normally used for plants.
45:14 Clarification: do you mean you add the grain and substrate at the same time (unmixed, with grain on the bottom) and then sterilise, and then inoculate with LC, and then do a final break and shake after the grain layer is colonised? Thank you!
More or less... if you have a flow hood, I recommend sterilizing the grain and sawdust separately and combining them afterward. If not, then cooking them together works. But I much prefer the grain on top, otherwise it gets mushed.
Then, yes, inoculate, shake to distribute through the grain and incubate until the grain is mostly enveloped in mycelium before doing a full break-and-shake!
@@_fungaia I see, I had misunderstood. It looked like you were adding grain spawn in the video but it is in fact just sterile grain. Resuming, your method just avoids contam from the outside of the grain spawn jar from contacting with the newly sterilised substrate. Thank you for your reply! I'm extremely grateful for the knowledge you're sharing.
I'm in the process of making my own video demonstrating how I make my seed spawn and substrate. (Surprise surprise, it's almost exactly the same as your method. I wonder why? 🤔) 😂. I also use the sawdust from my instrument building and general woodwork to grow amazing oysters.
Right on!
Blacksmith with a newly budding interest in mycology and mushroom growing here, and I have a question: if fungi have a preference for carbon rich environments, well... have you considered mixing charcoal dust into your substrate? NOT the briquettes obviously, but homemade lump charcoal. That stuff is essentially the purest form of carbon available to the common person, and can be made at home via a campfire and a metal barrel full of wood. It should be fairly sterile too given the process of making it. Anything I'm not thinking of?
Yes, charcoal and biochar are great substrate amendments! I remember reading a study somewhere that showed that 10% biochar by mass increased mushroom yields. I am particularly fond of using pure hardwood charcoal in my agar media.
@_fungaia Good to know my instincts were right! What's the difference between biochar and charcoal btw?
All jokes aside with field capacity is there a range for aW that is optimal for substrate?
It really depends... a (very) rough benchmark is about 50% water to 50% raw material. I've heard 52% final moisture content is ideal (including the moisture already present in the ingredients). But I've never bothered to measure it exactly, most of these numbers were just made up by some guy on the internet anyway.
Alfalfa pellets? Organic of course. What do you think?
Yep, right up there with organic soy hulls, but a little higher in nitrogen (about 25:1). 40% alfalfa to 60% sawdust would be a good starting proportion.
Amazing video yet again - super helpful/informative and entertaining along the way 🤌
PRO TIP: Get a cordless drill and a paint mixing rod to mix up your substrate in a round bucket.
Nice tip! I know this is a popular method for CVG in particular, though I personally prefer hand-mixing.
47:29
Badass
the recipies are good but I got a little confused since I'm working with grain spawn. So the grain has a low C:N ratio and because of that I supose we have to add an equal amount of bulk or more to get a final mass around C:N 60:1 right? So if I have coco coir with 100:1 ratio, adding the same amount of grain spawn (already colonized) would get us a mass with ratio around 60:1. But in the amateur community it's common for people to use something like 3 times more bulk than grain, hence achieving a much higher ratio. What comes?
Yes, once you start trying to calculate actual C:N ratios it can get very confusing, with weird and even contradictory results. For one thing, it's usually a measure based on dry weight, whereas most sub to grain ratios are based on wet weight.
More than that, grain is really kind of its own thing. The unique structure of grain is what makes it so perfect for mushroom cultivation: the mycelium can digest the whole, intact grains slowly, whereas if we mashed them up it we would need to raise the C:N ratio as you described. Think of grains like nitrogen slow-release capsules.
Really, I wouldn't sweat it. Fungi live to break rules. Anywhere from a 1:1 to a 4:1 sub to grain ratio is standard for CVG. You can even fruit off grain alone, especially with just a light casing layer, and I've gone as far as 10:1 and still had good fruits. 🤷♂️
I hope that you will talk about button mushroom substrate ❤
CVG is great for buttons!
any dangers in taking mushrooms alone?
Have you any advice regarding possible Cryptosporidium contamination in manure? Even if theres a low chance its a parasite i'd rather not contract. Fantastic video by the way you've earned me sub!
Pathogens like Cryptosporidium, Giardia and E. coli aren't a concern as long as you pasteurize adequately, though you're wise to be aware and clean your hands well before eating!
Right on, thanks!
@_fungaia thanks for the reply, much appreciated.
41:07 how much would you put in a 5lb capacity bag (18x5x20), assuming 4-6lbs is what you find ideal for a 10lb capacity bag?
i’m going with 2-3 pounds. i’ve been doing 1kg of pellets hydrated with 600-650mL of water, but that wasn’t getting me to field capacity and mycelium was definitely cooking itself before complete colonization…
I'm in an area where wheat bran and soy hills aren't really available. Can you recommend an alternative source of Nitrogen in masters mix. I've heard good and bad things about using alfalfa pellets and rice bran.
Coffee, bran, worm castings and spent brewery grains are all good options, and I discuss all of them in this video!
@@_fungaiaThanks, but I suppose I was talking about a commercially available product. My mileage has varied wrt getting coffee grounds or spent brewery grains from local cafe's or breweries. I am currently working on building out my worm farm, so eventually, I will be able to use my castings. But in the mean time, I was more looking for a direct replacement for the traditional masters mix using soy hull pellets (or wheat bran).
1:18:50 #willyforever
Dinams stilliag d'ponjio!
Mush love heehaw
His poop lives on!
59:23 damn thats some bad saddle back
RIP
bro you are saving my ass like days maybie weeks of research with this, bravo and thank you, you are really educated but then at 24:55 you were talking about shiitake mushrooms and put a picture of a chestnut mushroom in the background and then im like bro can i really trust anything this dude says hahahah ? JK you are the best thanks !
"You can trust me, I'm some guy on the internet."
P.S. Those aren't morels either. Or chanterelles. Or porcini. Or truffles. I'm just here to mislead and confuse!
Mushroom opus magnum :-)
1:13:02 CHAMPING at the bit, get it right ;P
A tip - don’t poop with your pants on!!
Dang, that's probably good advice.
I heard in the grapevines that elephant poop is the best, is that even true?🎅
Ok...but...what happened to your finger ?
Oof... installing a big window by myself and jammed it. Lots of bad words were heard.
So much single use plastic waste...
Poop